A thin patty pressed hard onto a hot griddle for a lacy crust, stacked with American cheese, the post-pandemic burger style Santa Monica took to Main Street.
The smashed patty came out of American griddle culture and swept LA during the pandemic pop-up era; Heavy Handed started as one of those pop-ups before opening on Main Street in Santa Monica, smashing short-rib-blend patties, frying in beef tallow and finishing with Straus soft serve. The style is now the city's default casual burger.
2 editor picks for The smashburger in Santa Monica, ranked by editorial score. All Santa Monica signature dishes · The smashburger across every city.
Heavy Handed ★ 4.3
main-street · 2912 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Heavy Handed smashes short-rib-blend patties on Main Street in Santa Monica, beef tallow fries and Straus soft serve from a pandemic pop-up made good.
HiHo Cheeseburger ★ 4.3
downtown · 1320 2nd Street, Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90401
HiHo Cheeseburger griddles 100 percent grass-fed wagyu from First Light Farm on 2nd Street in Santa Monica, a classic double for fast-casual money.